Married to the Ascot professional for 26 years, she will be here at the hallowed Ailsa Course on Thursday morning when her husband tees off in the Senior Open.

No longer will she have to act as the 53 year-old’s unofficial sports psychiatrist. Because back-to-back wins in the Senior PGA and Senior US Open have at last given him the self-belief to square up to the game’s very best.

“When I won the Senior PGA, Cathy told me, ‘See, I always said you were good enough,’” said Chapman, who partners Tom Watson and Greg Norman in Thursday morning’s marquee grouping.

“It took me 26 years and just one win in more than 500 European Tour events – but I eventually listened to her.”

Chapman’s is one of the more remarkable stories in this or any other golfing year. The journeyman’s three decades on the regular Tour were a catalogue, if not an encyclopaedia, of under-achievement. The Brazil Open title of 2000 was as all he had to boast when it was time to leave it to the young thrusters.

Yet golf offers its sporting after-life and, after spending a few years as a Tour referee while waiting for his 50th birthday, his pension was soon being topped up on the veteran circuits. And so he arrived in Harbor Shores, a plush complex in Michigan in the last week of May with a characteristically attainable aspiration.

“I thought if I could finish top 20 in the Senior PGA I’d have done well and earned a decent cheque,” he said. “Indeed, one of the main reasons I joined the seniors was because of the necessity to keep earning with our two boys and everything. I believed I could win on the European Seniors but I didn’t really consider the majors.”

He beat John Cook by a two-shot margin, having held a nine-stroke advantage in the final round. Inevitably, the word fluke was mentioned loud enough for Chapman to hear it. That was sufficient motivation for the Senior US Open in Detroit two weeks ago.

This time he came from behind to beat a cast list including Bernhard Langer and Fred Couples. One-hit wonders do not win two majors in a row. And only legends post hat-tricks.

Gary Player is the sole golfer to have landed this particular treble and Chapman sees no reason why he cannot make it an exclusive club of two.

“I used to think, ‘Oh Thursday’ when it came around, but now I just can’t wait to get out there,” he said. “It’s been surreal but I’ve finally accepted I’m a double major-winner and deserve to be comfortable in the spotlight.”

Two letters from Palmer helped convince him of that, as have all the new contracts which have forced him to appoint his first agent. Financially, Chapman is set up for his dotage, although the most extravagant he and Cathy are prepared to venture is an extension to their garage.

The couple will rent a house in Florida for the next few seasons and see how far he can take it. After a lifetime of doubting, Chapman’s ambition knows no boundaries any more.

“I made my Open debut in 1977 at Turnberry, as an 18 year-old. It was the classic 'Duel in the Sun' and I remember looking across the course with all the fans and all the big names, thinking, ‘I am way out my depth’,” said Chapman, who named one of his sons Tom after that week’s champion Watson.

“I was too young. But even during my career on the regular Tour I lacked self-belief. I just wish I knew back then what I’ve learnt now. It’s all about confidence and believing in yourself.”